In recent days, Caleb Swanigan has had a home visit with Duke and has attended a Michigan State game, but he remains wide open in his recruitment.
“He’s still going through the process,” Roosevelt Barnes, Swanigan’s guardian, told SNY.tv by phone. “He’s been watching a lot of college basketball on television, but he’s focused on his high school season. It probably won’t be until after the season that he makes a decision. It will probably be sometime in April.
The 6-foot-8 power forward out of Fort Wayne (IN) Homestead had an in-home visit with Duke this past week and also attended Michigan State’s win over Indiana Jan. 5.
“We went to Michigan State on Monday,” Barnes said. “They have a tradition of throwing the ball to their bigs and playing one more than one big. A lot of schools nowadays in basketball, it seems like everybody’s four out, one in. But Michigan State they still have two bigs in the game.”
Duke also visited after Swanigan went on an unofficial to the ACC powerhouse in the fall.
“Coach K came in and [Jeff] Capel came in,” Barnes said. “Their message was he’s the best big man in the country and they want him. He would bring something totally unique in the way he plays. Jahlil Okafor’s leaving next year and the way he plays, he would fit in their system.
“They’re showing serious interest.”
In addition, Kentucky, Louisville, Cal, Pittsburgh, Purdue, Arizona, UCLA, Notre Dame, Mississippi State, New Mexico and Chicago State are also in the mix, Barnes said.
“All the head coaches are in the middle of their conference season so I think it’s normal for it to kind of slow down in terms of them coming to visit or contact us,” Barnes said. “They’re trying to win now. I think it’s par for the course that they’re in the middle of their conference season and are trying to get to a Final Four or win a championship.
Swanigan averaged 15.2 points and 11.9 rebounds this summer on the Nike EYBL circuit, leading the campaign in rebounding. He also won a gold medal with the USA U17 team at the World Championship in Dubai in August.
